Soybean Response to Fertilization

When can you expect soybeans to respond to fertilization? How large is a response likely to be? How much fertilizer will be needed to obtain the maximum economic response? These are questions that College of Agriculture personnel must answer in making recommendations. Farmers should also consider these questions when deciding how much fertilizer to use

Conservation Tillage Practices

The loss of topsoil from farmlands has become a serious problem in some parts of Kentucky. During the past 20 years, grain crop acreage has tripled. The production of soybeans, which leaves the soil in a condition more susceptible to erosion, has grown from almost none to 1.7 million acres. Much of this increased acreage has come at the expense of soil conserving crops such as hay and pasture on sloping class II and III land with an erosion hazard. Use of large equipment, larger fields, chemical weed control, etc., has added to the scope of the problem with which Kentucky farmers are now confronted

Soil and Fertility Considerations for Growing Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a widely adapted crop which is grown across the United states and in many other counties. However, it is very sensitive to many soil and fertility factors which can limit its productivity. It is important to understand these factors in order to be a successful alfalfa producer

Fertilizing Alfalfa for Profit

Alfalfa has a high yield potential in relation to most other forages. However, this potential can only be realized on a long-term basis if the nutrient needs of the plant are adequately provided for. In addition, the ability of alfalfa plants to survive the heat and drought of summer and the cold of winter depends on an abundant supply of plant nutrients

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Conservation Compliance---Two components of the 1985 Farm Bill

The Conservation Reserve Program: This component of the 1985 Food Security Act is still open to participation by qualified landowners. Participation in CRP provides for farmers to be paid an annual rental fee for ten years to take highly erodible land out of row crop production and maintain a conservation cover crop. The annual rental fee for CRP land already signed up in Kentucky has averaged about 58 dollars per acre

Use of Molybdenum for Soybean Production

Molybdenum (Mo) is a micronutrient that is required by soybeans in very small amounts. As little as 0.5 parts per million of Mo in soybean tissue is sufficient for normal growth. Compare this with a phosphorus sufficiency level of about 2,000 parts per million. However, even though only small amounts are needed, a Mo deficiency can drastically reduce yields of soybeans

Establishing Alfalfa Following Alfalfa: How Long Do We Wait?

It has long been recommended that alfalfa fields be rotated to another crop such as com for at least one growing season before reestablishing alfalfa. One reason for doing this is that insect and disease levels build up in the old alfalfa and this time is needed to allow them to die out. Another reason is that alfalfa plants have been shown to produce compounds that inhibit the germination and growth of new alfalfa seedlings. This is called autotoxicity or allelopathy. Recently researchers from other states have indicated that it may not be necessary to have a full growing season between alfalfa crops. In fact, many are of the opinion that as little as two weeks is long enough after plowing an old stand to reseed a new one, or three weeks for no-till seeding. The reasoning seems to be that the autotoxic compounds will break down in that time and perhaps we are doing a better job of controlling insects and diseases. We decided to take a new look at how soon we can reestablish alfalfa following alfalfa at the Research Center in Princeton in 1992

Sulfur and Magnesium Trials with Wheat in West Kentucky

Interest in fertilizing wheat with sulfur and magnesium has increased recently in West Kentucky. This has been due primarily to positive test results in adjoining states and recommendations being made by some commercial people. Previous-testing in Kentucky has shown no response by wheat to sulfur, or to magnesium. However, in order to have current data on which to base recommendations, research plots were established in the fall of 1987 in Todd and Hopkins counties. They were repeated on different farms in 1988, making a total of 4 different sites studied

Managing Broomsedge in Pastures

Broomsedge, broomgrass, sagegrass (Andropogon Virginiana) is a perennial, warm season grass native to Kentucky. It is well adapted to the soils and climate of this area. Add to this the fact that it is relatively unpalatable to livestock and it is easy to understand why it is common in Kentucky pasture fields. The question then becomes: why is it a problem in some fields and not in others

Can We Follow Alfalfa with Alfalfa?

The question of how soon alfalfa can safely be reseeded following an old stand of alfalfa has been debated for many years. It has been a topic of the Kentucky Alfalfa Conference on at least two other occasions (Rasnake, 1995; Rasnake 1999). Recent research has attempted to determine what causes the problem, how it is affected by soil conditions, and whether the problem can be reduced through plant breeding. This paper will review some of the research